Spring, Festivals and FOMO

When there's a lot going on, missing anything can feel like missing everything.

Morgan Packard

New Orleans has about four months total of perfect weather (March-April and September-October) – if you don’t mind rain, that is.

During these months New Orleanians and tourists alike emerge from their winter hide-aways, baring as much skin as possible in order to soak up every ray our never-topping-90-degrees (and usually in the low 80s or prettier) sun provides.

We flock to every outdoor table available, walk through our favorite parts of the city, explore new places to eat, shop and gawk, and of course, attend every festival imaginable. There’s Jazz Fest, French Quarter Fest, Festival International de Louisiane … more than one a weekend (check out Louisiana Life’s feature on just this thing from the March/April issue here).

Which leads me to my problem with FOMO (for those not in the know, FOMO stands for Fear of Missing Out). There is just so much going on, that missing anything can feel like missing everything, like everyone else is having the most amazing experiences and you’re not.

This happened to me this weekend. I left work in the late afternoon on Wednesday completely sick. Even though I felt as if I was at death’s door and couldn’t walk to the kitchen without getting short of breath, I seriously considered attending both Hogs for the Cause and Super Sunday – two of my favorite events of the year. Thursday and Friday I concentrated on getting well. By Friday night I was texting friends and pushing back attendance times. By Saturday I was out for Hogs, but hoping for Sunday afternoon.

Basically I spent three days missing out on guilt-free sleep, video games and bad TV, instead worrying about missing out on attending things that there was no physical way I would’ve been able to anyway.

By Sunday I was a mess. It was then that my dear husband (who had been putting up admirably with all of my worrying and sickness and whining) reminded me that these events occur every year, and pointed out that I wouldn’t have had a good time as sick as I was anyway.

So what I’m saying is: enjoy these halcyon days while they last, but if you have to miss out on a few don’t worry – you can always attend next year, when you feel better.

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about

Morgan Packard may not be a native New Orleanian, but with every passing day New Orleans becomes more her home. Attending Newcomb College and gaining her masters from Tulane University, Packard immersed herself in the culture and peculiarities of the Big Easy, the culmination of which was reached when she joined the staff of Renaissance Publishing in May 2006. You can reach Morgan at (504) 830-7227 or morgan@myneworleans.com.